Advertising device



April 14, 1931.

E. 5. WHEELER ET AL ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed 001;. 23. 1929 INVENTOR. es'rS. WHELER BY A445: 4 Boga/c 2% A TI'ORNE YS.

Patented Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST S. WHEELER AND ALLEN L. BURIDIGK, OF HONOLULU, TERRITORY OF ELA'WAJI ADVERTISING DEVICE Our invention relates to improvements in advertising devices, and it consists in the Combinations, constructions and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of our invention is to provide an advertising device which makes use of two moving members having pre-arranged openings therein, these members being rotated for causing the openings to form moving designs. In back of the members we dispose illuminating means so that rays of light will project through the aligned openings and attract passersby.

A further ob ect of our invention is to provide an advertising device which utilizes the principle of having at least two members with pre-designed openin s therein, these members being rotated at ifl'erent speeds so that the openings will register with each other for a short interval for forming a design, word, or the like, and then passing out of registration again; this operation keeping up so long as the device functions. Colored lights may be projected through the registering openings, and when the openings are not in registration but have portions in one member aligned with portions of the other member, the light rays will pass on through the aligned portions of the openings to attract the attention, and then when the complete registration of the openings takes place, the particular wording or design will be readable.

The device is extremely simple in construction, and provides a novel window display for attracting the attention of the passerby.

Other objects and advantages will appearas the specification proceeds, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Our invention is illustrated in the accom panying drawing forming a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device,

Figure 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figures 3 and 4 are plan. views of two of the moving members, and

Figure 5 is a section along the line 55 of Figure 2.

In carrying out our invention, we provide a casing 1 which may be of any shape desired; We have shown the casing with 'windows 2 and 3 in its front and rear walls. These windows are circular and are disposed directly in front of discs 4 and 5.

There are two sets of these discs, and since they are identical, a description of one will suiiice. Figure 3 shows the disc 4 as having the words Red and Clown, indicated by reference numerals 6 and 7, cut therein. The disc is preferably opaque with the exception of the cut portions, although this is not essential to the proper functioning of the device. A design 8 is cut in the center of the disc, and various configurations 9 are cut into other parts-of the disc.

The disc 5 has cut portions substantially duplicating the cut portions in the disc 4 except that they are larger in area fora purpose hereinafter described. The words Red Clown, indicated by the reference numerals 10 and 11, have much larger letters. Other cut portions, designated by the reference numeral 12, are made much larger in area.

Referring back to Figure 2, it will be noted that the discs 4 are mounted upon a central shaft 13. Around this shaft we dispose a hollow shaft 14, and this shaft carries the discs 5. The shaft 14 is carried by bearings 15 that in turn are supported by struts 16 (see Figure 5).

The shafts 13 and I4 carry pulleys17and 18, and these pulleys are connected to pulleys 19 and 20 disposed on the motor shaft 21 by belts 22 and 23. The pulleys 17 and 18 are of different diameters so as to have one discrotated at a faster speed than the other. It is obvious that any other mechanical means for rotating the members at different speeds can be used other than that shown without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We provide means for flashing a light through the opening in the discs, and if de sired the lighting means may be revolved so as to add to the attractiveness of the device. In Figure 5 we show a central disc 24 having openings 25 therein in which are mounted neon tubes 26 or other suitable illuminating means. These tubes may flash different colors, and may be shaped into various configurations. We have shown the disc 24 as being rotated in a direction opposite to that of the discs 4 and 5. For this purpose a belt 27 connectingthe pulleys 28 and 29 is crossed (note Figure 5).

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood.

The disc 24 carries two conductor rings 30, and these rings are in electrical connection with the lights 26 and with brushes 31. The motor 32 is started, and will rotate all of the discs. As already stated, the disc 4 will rotate at a different speed from that of the disc 5. Solong as the openings in the two discs are not in complete registration, the device will not disclose the words Red Clown, although the design 8 will appear and various other rays of light will project through the two discs wherever any portions of the openings are aligned. The more rapidly rotated disc 4 will finally cause thewords Red Clown in this disc to start to register with the words on the disc 5. This registration will be sustained for a short time interval because of the small letters in the disc 4 passing over the large letters in the disc 5. When the words again pass out of registration, they will be difiused and the device will continue to attract attention by the changing colors of lights and openings until the words again register.

Although we have shown and described one embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of various changes, and we reserve the right to employ such changes as may come within the scope of the invention as claimed.

- We claim:

1. An advertising device comprising a casing similar letters and designs cut therein,

r the discs furthest removed from the windows having larger letters and designs, means for rotating each pair of discs in the same direction and each disc in the pair at a diiierent speed, a central disc having openings therein,

illuminating means disposed in said openings, and. means for rotating said central isc.

' 2. An advertising device comprisingv a casing having two windows, a pair of discs disposed in backof each window, each disc having similar letters and designs cut therein,

. the discsjurthest removed from the windows having larger letters and designs, means for rotating each pairof discs in the same direction and each disc in the pair at a different speed, a. central disc having openings therein,

and illuminating means disposed in said openings.

3. 'An advertising device comprising a casing having two windows, a pair of discs disposed in back of each window, each disc having similar letters and designs cut therein, the discs furthest removed from the windows having larger letters and designs, means for rotating each pair of discs in the same direction and each disc in the pair at adifferent speed, and illuminating means disposed between the pairs of discs.

4. An advertising device comprising a casing having two windows, a pair of discs disposed in back of each window, each disc having similar letters and designs cut therein,.

the discs furthest removed from the windows having larger letters and designs, means for rotating each pair of discs in the same direction and each disc in the pair at a diflerent speed, and a central disc carrying illuminating means.

5. An advertising device comprising a casing having a window, a pair of discs mounted in said casing and having registrable letters and designs cut therein, means for rotating said discs in the same direction and at different speeds, a third disc, illuminating means carried by said third named disc, and means for rotating said third named disc.

6. An advertising device comprising a casing having a window,a first and a second disc mounted in said casing and having registrable letters and designs cut therein, the cuts in the second disc being larger than those in the first, means for rotating said discs in the same direction and at different speeds, a third disc, and illuminating means carried by said third named disc.

7. An advertising device comprising a casing having a window, a first and a second disc mounted in said casing and having registrable letters and designs cut therein, the cuts in the second disc being larger than those in the first, means for rotating said discs in the same direction and at diflerent speeds, and illuminating means disposed in said casing.

8. An advertising device comprising two members having similar openings therein, said members being placed one in front of the other, the covered member having larger openings than the other, and means for moving said members for bringing the openings into registration.

9. An advertising device comprising a lurality of members disposed one in front o the other, means for moving them in the same direction, each member being moved at a different speed, said members having similar openings brought into registration by the movement of said members, the openingsin the covered member being larger than those in I the member positioned in front.

10. An advertising device comprising a plurality of movable members disposed one in front of the other, means for moving said members at difierent speeds, said members having similarly shaped openings adapted to register, the openings in the covered memher being larger than those in the member positioned in front, and a source of light for illuminating the registering openings.

ERNEST S. WHEELER, ALLEN L. BURDIGK. 

